Accountability in Multi-level Governance: The Example of Australian Federalism

Mulgan, Richard

doi:10.22459/mg.11.2017.04

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 24 publications

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“…In this article I propose a framing of accountability that would amenably account for the functional resolution of trade-offs and thereby facilitate the emergence of adaptive water governance (Mulgan 2017). This is because failure to take into consideration conflicting interests when addressing trade-offs-a common issue in floodplain governance (Levin et al 2013, Petsch et al 2023)may lead to inappropriate and unfocused attention to the four analytical elements that can promote or inhibit the emergence of adaptive governance (Kramarz and Park 2016).…”

Section: Conceptualizing Accountabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of accountability in the emergence of adaptive water governance

Nkhata

2024

E&S

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In this article we examine the role of accountability in the emergence of adaptive water governance drawing on a case study of shifts in governance on the Pongola River Floodplain in South Africa. The case study illustrates how lack of accountability by decision makers over the years inhibited the emergence of adaptive water governance on the floodplain. An important lesson to be drawn from the case study is that although adaptive governance can offer decision makers the capacity to confront change and uncertainty, this capacity is diminished when accountability is lacking or blurred because of conflicting interests. We demonstrate the need for accountable entities (such as government and NGOs) in contextualized situations to augment the emergence of adaptive water governance. Importantly, this research demonstrates how the emergence of adaptive water governance in part depends on the capacity of other stakeholders to hold decision makers accountable for the consideration and resolution of governance trade-offs. The role of accountability in this case is broadly based on the need to sustain delivery of aquatic ecosystem services so that generations can continue to enjoy them in the present and into the future. This case analysis is aimed at informing environmental governance scholarship and policies regarding the conditions that promote or inhibit the emergence of adaptive water governance.

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